The present invention concerns food dryers or dehydrators of the type used within the home for drying a varied assortment of food articles.
Prior food dehydrators utilize various intake and exhaust arrangements to promote a flow of heated air past the articles being dried. A number of food dryers recirculate at least a portion of the drying air and include adjustable vent means for varying the proportion of recirculated air to the intake of ambient air. The recirculation of moisture laden air slows the drying operation as moisture content and drying characteristics are inversely related.
The venting arrangements found in prior art dryers are restricted in area by the physical dimensions of the dryer and often are unable to adequately exhaust air from a dryer. Accordingly, both the heat source and fan assembly in prior art dryers must be of a capacity to accomplish drying with air having a higher than desired moisture content. Such dryer components add substantially to dryer manufacturing costs.
A further drawback to known dryers resides in the same constituting a fire hazard by reason of the dryer cabinet being manufactured from wooden components which are subjected to long periods of high temperatures and exposed to heating coils and related wiring. For the most part electrical components are typically mounted individually into the dryer cabinet which is of limited internal area making such work an arduous, time consuming task.